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In an entertain match at St George's Park, Newport were defeated by an early goal  

Match Updates available

Despite the heavy overnight rain, the pitch was playable thanks to Derek Holmes and his team of volunteers who cleared away the surface water laying in the goalmouth.

Derek Ohren made two changes from the team that started against Romsey, Tom McInnes & Tom Scovell replacing Matt Evans & Chris Elliott. There was only a place on the substitutes bench for Ross Gregory returning from suspension.

Poole Town were without leading scorer Charlie Austin who was suspended.

It took Poole Town only 3 minutes to take the lead with their first attack. From Micky Hubbard,s corner, Andy Culliford rose above the defence to head the ball into the top corner of the net.

Newport responded positively and a corner from Tom Scovell fell to Harry Ovnik at the far post but he placed the ball wide. Then a 20 yard shot from Jamie White forced a finger tip save from keeper, Jason Harvell. As the pressure was maintained Charlie Smeeton raced through but his shot was wide.

Jamie White received the match,s first yellow card after 22 minutes for a tackle on Dave Sturgess.

For a time Newport were encamped in the Poole half but gradually Poole began to put more pressure on the Newport defence.

Poole almost increased their lead on 29 minutes when a long range shot from Andy Culliford struck the bar. Fortunately Sam Webb was able to beat the inrushing forward to the rebound. On 35 minutes a cross from the right by Andy Culliford found James Bailey Pearce at the far post but he headed over.

Tom Scovell received a yellow card for a tackle on Kevin Gill and Simon Williams became involved in the incident and was also booked. Poole’s first yellow card was shown to Andy Culliford shortly before the interval and as the half time whistle blew, a vexed Poole management team remonstrated with referee Gary Spring, resulting in manager Tommy Killick being banished from the playing area for the second half.

Half time Newport 0 Poole Town 1

Within a minute of the restart Charlie Smeeton fired in a shot which took a deflection before being pushed away by Jason Harvell into the path of Ian Seabrooke who drove it into the net only to see it disallowed for offside.

Jason Harvell was quickly off his line to dive at the feet of Tom McInnes as he raced through on goal.

Ian Seabrook picked up Newport’s fourth yellow card for a tackle followed by Sam Dye entering the referee’s book.

On 54 minutes Danny Hatcher broke down the right before whipping in a low cross that eluded everybody in the box but found Tom McInnes at the far post. His low shot narrowly missing the post. Danny Hatcher continued to trouble the Poole defence and another cross from him was scrambled off the goal line by Poole.

The first substitution of the afternoon came after 62 minutes when Poole Town replaced Dave Sturgess with Steve Smith.

From a Poole free kick the ball was played back across the goal by Luke Whitley to Lamin Dibba but with the goal at his mercy he did an air shot and the ball trickled off

With 20 minutes remaining Newport introduced Sam Hart in place of Tom Scovell.

James Bailey Pearce broke down the right for Poole before crossing to Steve Richardson at the far post. He knocked the ball down to Steve Smith on the goal line but Sam Webb was able to smother the ball.

Matt Evans came on with 13 minutes left to replace Ian Seabrooke and with 7 minutes left defender Graham Stay was sacrificed being replaced by attacker Chris Elliott as Newport surged forward in search of an equaliser.

Poole’s Micky Hubbard was shown a yellow card for a clumsy tackle on Charlie Smeeton. In the final minute Kevin Gill chased a long ball but Sam Webb was quickly off his line to beat him to the ball. To everybody’s surprise both players were booked, bringing the total number of bookings to 9 in a match that was fiercely contested but not ill tempered.

At the end the Poole team was relieved to hear the final whistle.

Newport slip one place to sixth place as Wimborne beat Lymington to go a point ahead.

Sam Webb                                           Jason Harvell

Sam Dye                                              Carl Poore

Graham Stay (Chris Elliott)                   Simon Browne

Simon Williams                                     Lamin Dibba

Harry Ovnik                                         Luke Whitley

Ian Seabrooke            (Matt Evans)      Steve Richardson

Tom Scovell (Sam Hart)                       Kevin Gill

Jamie White                                          Micky Hubbard

Tom McInnes                                       Andy Culliford

Charlie Smeeton                                    Dave Sturgess (Steve Smith)

Danny Hatcher                                      James Bailey-Pearce

Subs not used

Ross Gregory                                       Jordan Fisk

John Simpkins                                      Steve Cuss

                                                            Gavin Reeves

Referee: Gary Spring                          Attendance 235

RESERVES

The reserves won 2-1 at St Helens to maintain 3^rd place in Island Division 1. Jack Bartlett and Phil McDonald were the goalscorers although Phil McDonald also missed a penalty